Ecological agriculture = Romantic vision?

A seedling grows in an organic field, on the outskirts of Bangalore, Karnataka. Image: Vivek M

Agriculture is facing numerous important problems: food supply, social justice, ecology, climate change. We are told by the agrochemical industry there is only one, simple, solution: the next level of the so-called “green revolution”.

The story so far: intensification and globalization of agriculture in the later 20th century has increased yields and production of food dramatically - at least in the western world. The so-called developing countries still suffer hunger and poverty, although global production would be sufficient to feed the whole world.

The enlightened West is starting to notice that intensive agriculture has reached a limit, further yield increases appear to be unlikely. We are also beginning to discover that our agricultural systems are not sustainable at all: high inputs, soil degradation, environmental pollution, animal justice, loss of biodiversity and climate impacts. Because of all this ecological agriculture has gathered a lot of solidarity. But it is often regarded as an old-fashioned fantasy – and therefore not suitable as a solution for poor countries because food outputs would never be able to be increased.

Really?

The opposite is the case. This is the main message of the UN report on Agroecology, released on the 8th of March. It states that a doubling of food production by use of eco-farming within 10 years is possible – with all the benefiting effects on social structures, farmers´ incomes and ecological aspects. UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food Olivier De Schutter clearly points out that the most efficient farming techniques available are the ones based on ecology. These do not rely on extensive inputs but on the use of ecological systems and the knowledge of these systems. The published study is based on numerous scientific investigations, which are not only reliable but also deliver impressive examples. These include ecological pest control by use of the so-called “push-pull-strategy” (coupled with improved water management and soil re-degradation, as well as reduced erosion) or the use of ducks and fish in rice fields (providing additional food and manure), or agroforestry. In the end yields increased by 80% in 57 developing countries, with an average of 116% in the African projects. The martyred soils are also restored, generating forgotten water availability and fertility.

The other side of the coin …

… from the agrochemistry point of view: ecological agriculture increases yields (as industry propagates for their products) but also strictly reduces the use of artificial pesticides and fertilizers. Projects in Indonesia, Vietnam and Bangladesh recorded up to 92% reduced use of pesticides.

Where`s the profit?

This is the main point. Who might benefit from a sustainable, social and climate friendly agriculture? It is not biotechnology – especially not the GE part of it. This will never be able to serve the local needs of farmers for adapted crop varieties. These are - and should be - public property. That’s another battlefront…

The benefits of ecological agriculture are free and yet are the most valuable benefits imaginable – and it is difficult to earn money with them. They will save potential millions in social and climate impacts. In this instance “millions” does not only mean dollars but also lives.

Profit for us!

Climate, ecology, sustainability, social justice and so on – as long as you do not have Monsanto-stocks (hopefully these will decline) we are in a “win/win-situation”. And in the end it will be of commercial interest.

Therefore we should all be encouraged to further spread these ideas – especially as they are not just ideas but concrete future solutions.

-Dirk Zimmermann is a Sustainable Agriculture Campaigner at Greenpeace Germany

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(Unregistered) winston
says:

Nice posting Dick. I am fighting (not just pushing) for agricultural revival, rehabilitation & development on all lands which turned into wastelan...

Nice posting Dick. I am fighting (not just pushing) for agricultural revival, rehabilitation & development on all lands which turned into wastelands, barren lands, infertile lands and so forth.

A collective & unified action by the world will surely eradicate global warming & climate change. I know this because I offered a technology to the United Nations that can replace its objective of carbon emission reduction. Those people in the fields of agriculture & forestry are ones who can scientifically turn around the ailing state of earth to arability & productivity, not the environmentalists, physicists, chemists, meteorologists, climatologists, etc.

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just4all
says:

Hello, I am miracle
How are you? hope you are fine and in perfect condition of health. Please I went through your profile and i read it and took...

Hello, I am miracle
How are you? hope you are fine and in perfect condition of health. Please I went through your profile and i read it and took interest in it, please if you don't mind i will like you to write me on this ID
hope to hear from you soon, and I will be waiting for your mail because i have something VERY important to tell you.
Lots of love
miracle

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just4all
says:

Hello, I am miracle
How are you? hope you are fine and in perfect condition of health. Please I went through your profile and i read it and took interest in it, please if you don't mind i will like you to write me on this ID
hope to hear from you soon, and I will be waiting for your mail because i have something VERY important to tell you.
Lots of love
miracle

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(Unregistered) Democracy last act
says:

At presently the government of trinidad & Tobago is using strong arm tactics by bulldozing prime agricultural land with bearing vegetables,while n...

At presently the government of trinidad & Tobago is using strong arm tactics by bulldozing prime agricultural land with bearing vegetables,while no information are given to farmers in respect to the bulldozing of the food on the land. This is unfair practices being used by this government before coming into power,before they uses very strong language by fabricating the word democracy must live on.They even made claims that the people are the bosses and now it is the other way around.Greenpeace made strong statement against using fertile land to conduct other projects other than Agriculture.

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(Unregistered) teofan
says:

What to some might sound surprising ,to me it's common sense that if soils are kept healthy,free of pesticides,fungicides,herbicides and synthetic fer...

What to some might sound surprising ,to me it's common sense that if soils are kept healthy,free of pesticides,fungicides,herbicides and synthetic fertilizers,then the crops will be bountiful year on year.Unfortunately,so many believe what the agro-business tells them and think that it is impossible to obtain bumper crops using the organic approach.But if people looked at themselves and their own need for clean air water,nourishing food they should immediately realise that the same holds true for plants.You cannot have healthy plants in polluted soil.Organic is the way of the future.

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(Unregistered) nicole
says:

Im working on it here in CostaRica . Which sprays more herbicides than other countries. The campesinos fight the facts, tearing down flyers in their i...

Im working on it here in CostaRica . Which sprays more herbicides than other countries. The campesinos fight the facts, tearing down flyers in their ignorance. I was told to work on the generation coming up thats looking for alternative lifestyles. But the general knowledge of rural communities is 20 years behind, they think roundup is biodegradable. I feel so alone in the fight here I need support. Help!They spray the schools and front lawns and sides of the roads.A treaty got signed to lessen imports of these toxins, I only see middle men making a profit off it.Help!